Weekend Makeover: Transform Your Front Yard

Weekend Makeover: Transform Your Front Yard

Spruce up your front yard this spring with six easy fixes. No need to hire a landscaper or invest in a new lawn — you can brighten things up in a weekend.

1. Paint your front door.

This is a relatively fast, highly transformative way to give your home an immediate face-lift. Go for bright and cheerful, not zany or unusual — and make sure the colors complement your exterior colors. If you have a darkly colored house, go for a brighter, lighter shade or vice versa.

2. Buy a new lamppost.

Invest in a sturdy, welcoming lamppost at the base of your front walk. Also consider a spotlight to reflect against bushes or your front door. This kind of lighting can turn ho-hum landscaping dramatic.

3. Decorate your mailbox.

This is a great project for older kids. Paint it one funky color or stencil and paint birds, flowers or whatever your heart desires. Just make sure to do this in a well-ventilated, dry place — paint drippings can kill a lawn. Presto: a little splash of personality without too much investment.

4. Create an informal gathering area.

5. Adorn your entryways.

Decorative lawn and door accents like stone animal statues such as dogs or squirrels, bird feeders and wind chimes add texture and personality to a front lawn, especially if you don't have a particularly green thumb.

6. Hang window boxes.

Bonus: Window boxes draw the eye away from the lawn, a blessing if you’ve been a bit too busy to mow. Bright marigolds, petunias and geraniums are all relatively low-maintenance and perfect for sunny spots.